California Fast Food Minimum Wage Increases Starting April 1, 2024

Beginning April 1, 2024, California’s minimum wage for fast-food workers will increase to $20 per hour – the average hourly wage for fast-food workers in 2022 was $16.21.

This new minimum wage applies to employees who work for a fast-food restaurant in California that is part of a national fast-food chain. The law defines a national fast-food chain as a group of limited-service restaurants that meets the following three criteria:

• It has more than 60 establishments across the country.
• It shares a common brand, or has standardized options for appearance, marketing, packaging, and offerings.
• It is primarily engaged in providing food and beverages for immediate consumption that customers select and pay for upfront with minimal or no table service.

Also beginning April 1, employers covered by the fast-food minimum wage must post the supplemental fast food minimum wage notice.

Read the Labor Commissioner’s FAQs to learn more about who is covered under the law, along with additional criteria and exemptions for fast-food restaurants.